Self-propelled rotor



S. W. NELDNER.

SELF PROPELLED ROTOR.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAY 6. 191a.

Patnted Feb. 17,1920.

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SELF PROPELLED ROTOR.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 6. 1918.

1,330,896. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

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SELF PROPELLED ROTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. l9l8 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

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Zip/7e MK NeZc/ner WWI/Y? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN W. NELDNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SELF-PROPELLEI) ROTOR.

Application filed May 6, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN W. NELDNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Propelled Rotors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in self propelled rotors, and is a simplification of the rotor described in my Letters Patent No. 1176286, dated March 21, 1916, and my pending application filed Nov. 27, 1916, Serial No. 133688.

In most devices of this character now in general use, a more or less complicated arrangement of the intake, exhaust and drive connections is employed, and with these and other inherent objections in view, the present invention was conceived and designed, providing a simple, efficient and, practical arrangement of all the parts, as hereinafter described in detail.

The primary object of my invention is to secure in a main or master wheel, alight and compact motor of the internal combustion type having no water jacket and having most of its moving parts housed to permit lubrication and to prevent injury thereto from dirt in such a manner as to prevent accidental damage, and so as to be easily attended to and operated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a self propelled rotor or master wheel, with its exhaust muffler so constructed as to reduce air resistance and prevent the over-heating thereof by the exhaust gases.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of a self propelled rotor or master wheel, which may, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, form the driver or traction wheel of a self propelled vehicle, but which may be utilized in the form of a aulley or crank for transmitting power as the case may require.

Vith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the invention proceeds, the present invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as herein described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1920.

Serial No. 232,978.

changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a face view of a master wheel constructed in accordance with my invention, the mufiier being shown partly in sec tion and partly in elevation to more clearly illustrate its construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the motor and its drive means, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the plane indi cated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. at is a sectional view taken on line l-1 of Fig. 2.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents frame members that are shown in the form of a tubular fork, said frame members having in their outer ends the ball bearings 2 for the axles 3 and 4 of the master wheel comprising arim having a tire 6 thereon of any desired make or construction, and an intermediate ring member 7 sus pended centrally of the rim by means of wire or other spokes 8 extending from the inner portion of the rim to said ring memher.

The motive power of my rotor is detachablv secured in the ring member by means hereinafter described and consists of the crank case 9 and a cylinder 10 having reciprocatively therein a piston 11 in pitman connection with a crank shaft 12, said crank shaft being of the double disk type and journaled in suitable bearings with which the crank case is provided. One end of the crank shaft projects into agear casing 13 formed on the crank case and having a detachable cover 14, and on this crank shaft end is secured a gear wheel 10 preferably of the toothed type in mesh with an internally toothed gear 15 rotatably mounted on the axle at and independent thereof, said gear being disposed in the casing 13.

Also rotatably mounted on the axle a is a brake drum or friction wheel 16 having its hub fixed to the internally toothed gear 15 by means of suitable fastenings 17, the braking surface of the drum being disposed outwardly of the gear casing 13 and having in engagement therewith a brake band 18 operated through means of the brake rod 19 having one end pivoted to the toggle link 20, to which the ends of the brake band are pivoted.

The axle 3 has on its inner end a flange 21 secured to the engine unit by suitable fastenings 22, and has therein a passage 23 communicating with the intake port 24 of the engine, and journaled in the axle 3 and in communication therewith is the intake supply manifold 25 leading to a carbureter, (not shown). The intake manifold with its carbureter is adapted to remain fixed to the frame member by any suitable means as will be obvious.

For braking the rotor or master wheel, a friction wheel or brake drum 26, similar to brake drum 16 is employed secured to the flange 21 on the axle 3, and coacting on this friction wheel is a brake band 27 connected to operating means similar to that for manipulating the brake 18 consisting of the connecting rod 28 pivoted to toggle link 29 to which the ends of said brake are pivoted.

In my invention a novel form of muflier is used in which the exhaust manifold (not shown) leads to the chamber 29 thereof, in which may be any suitable baffle plates and having exhaust outlets 30, and extending centrally through the muffler is an opening or passage 31 having its mouth flared to provide cooling means therefor when the motor is being operated. It will be at once seen that on account of the central air passage with its flaring mouth, air resistance will be greatly reduced as well as excellent cooling means furnished for the muflier.

The foregoing described motive unit is fixed in a sleeve or collar 32 by means of suitable fastenings 33, and the casing 13 is braced to assist in further securing the units in said collar or sleeve by means of braces 34. This collar or sleeve 32 is formed on one peripheral edge with an outwardly struck flange 35 adapted to abut against one edge of the ring member 7 opposite the flange 35. Thus it will be seen that to remove the engine from the master wheel, the frame members are detached from the axles, then the fastenings 37 are removed to permit removal of the hoop or ring member 36, and then the entire engine may be removed from the ring member 7 as will be obvious.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it will be at once apparent that in starting my rotor, band 18 is first placed in binding relation with its friction wheel or drum, and the master wheel is then revolved through means of any suitable connection with a sprocket wheel 38 cooperating with the roll clutch 39 and mounted intermediate the bearings 2 and the flange plate 21, so when the engine begins to operate it will propel the master wheel until the brake. 18 is re-. leased.

Then the brake band is free of its friction wheel the internally toothed gear 15 is traveling around the gear 10 and the master wheel remains stationary, but when the friction wheel or brake drum 16 is held by its brake band 18, the gear 10 is describing a planetary movement with respect to the internally toothed gear 15 and hence turning over the master wheel.

The usual magneto 10 is employed secured to my rotor and in balance with the exhaust mufl'ler as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This magneto is of any well known type and in proper electrical connection with the gas engine, and being in gear connection with the internally toothed gear 15, but as this does not constitute an important feature of my invention, the said connections have not. been shown in the drawings.

hat is claimed:

1. In a rotor, a master wheel, an engine 9 carried by the wheel and rotatable therewith, axles extending from opposite sides of the wheel and journaled in suitable bearings, a gear case fixed to the engine, one end of the crank shaft extending thereinto, a 100 pinion secured to said end of the crank shaft in the gear case, an internal gear journaled on one of said axles and disposed in said gear case, the teeth thereof being in mesh with the teeth of the. pinion, a drum journaled on the last mentioned axle externally of the gear case, an attaching portion extended into the gear case from the drum and secured to the internal gear, and means engageable with the drum to selectively lock the same. and the internal gear stationary to cause planetary motion of the pinion with respect to the latter, or to permit the gear and pinion to revolve together.

2. In combination, a wheel rim, an intermediate ring member suspended centrally from said rim, and a motive unit adapted to be detachably mounted in said ring, said unit including a cylinder and crank case, means for attaching said motive unit in said ring comprising a collar detachably secured to said crank case and cylinder and slidable into said ring, an outwardly extending radial flange on one peripheral edge of the collar to abut one edge of the ring, an inwardly extending radial attaching flange on the other peripheral edge of the collar, and a retaining loop securable to said attaching flange to engage the other edge of said ring.

3. In a rotor, a master wheel, an internal combustion engine carried thereby and rotatable therewith, a mufiier carried by the Wheel and connected with the exhaust of the engine and comprising an arcuate pipe having outlet vents at one end, and a passageway disposed centrally of the pipe and opening through the ends thereof, the end of said passageway in the direction of rotation of the wheel being flared.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of .Visconsin.

STEPHEN W. N ELDNER. 

